Michelangelo Pistoletto

Michelangelo Pistoletto (1933) wrote the manifest Progetto Arte in 1994. In it he outlined an art project that could be described as a permanent conversation with the world. From 1996 this project was physically translated into Cittadellarte – a blend of ‘cittadella’, meaning citadel, and ‘città dell’arte’, meaning city of art. 'Citadel’ stands for a closed off space that protects the arts, while 'city' serves as a metaphor for dynamics and a whole range of relationships to the world surrounding us. The project is about more than just the location (in Pistoletto's home town of Biella). It is about a whole new way of dealing with culture, politics and economics. In twelve ‘Uffizi’ (of course referring to the renaissance concept) artists work, focusing on social areas such as politics, economics, work, production, religion, art, education and communication. Each summer young artists are given the opportunity to participate in UNIDEE (university of ideas), a summer university and 'artist-in-residence' program in Biella.